Made in USA: Clare Vivier Handbags

I often say that in NYC, your coat is your car. But really, your bag is your car too. Think about it: when you leave the house in the morning, everything you need for the entire day must be on your person. To that end, every season I search and search for the perfect leather made in USA handbag.

For the bag to be PERFECT, it has to meet the following qualifications:
– Strap long enough to wear crossbody when necessary (i.e., my hands are full)
– Leather strong enough to stand the abuse, but pretty enough to not look too utilitarian
– Zip closure to keep unwanted hands from grabbing my wallet on the crowded subway or bar. It happens – just ask the Husband.
– Space for a book, wallet, phone, and keys, but not so deep that I can’t find any of those items!
– Strong handles and fasteners to handle the weight of all I carry.
– Lightweight. Sounds simple enough, but most bags that meet the first five qualifications are so huge and cumbersome, you will throw out your back carrying the darn thing!

I have been stalking Clare Vivier for a few months now. She is French, lives in LA, and started her line because she wanted a functional classic bag to carry. In the past five years, she has grown her line, opened a retail store, and collaborated with some of the best names in contemporary fashion. And she has stayed committed to keeping design and production local in LA. So there is my justification for stalking her…and why you should too.

Her clutches have been embraced by the fashion crowd here in NYC. In fact, I challenge you to find a street style blog that didn’t include a close up shot of one of her beautiful clutches during New York Fashion Week! I love the clutches and was carefully examining the messenger bag as a potential go-to bag, but was worried that the bag would be too heavy.

Then I went to my favorite boutique in Kansas City, Standard Style, and the messenger bag was there, waiting just for me!

The Clare Vivier Messenger Bag is extremely light, featuring a zip closure, strong gromment anchored handles, sized large enough for all my items, and the leather is very soft. The bag is not lined, but I find that a plus, as it helps keep the bag light – that said, the bag also comes with a small wallet to store metrocards and a lipstick.

Now I am debating which color clutch I should buy for those evenings out when I don’t need to carry my whole life with me. Thinking the fold-over with the stripe is extremely chic, but for some reason, purse decisions take me a while to make. Thank goodness I found Clare Vivier – while I still have many choices, I now have a go-to brand from a woman who gets it.